Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Azumanga Daioh: A Heart to Love
Chapter 5: Feeling comfortable… I hate tuna
The two high school seniors sat at the noodle shop counter eating their noodles in silence. Occasionally they would pause to take a drink of their sodas, glance over at each other and smile when their eyes met.
Twenty minutes passed when a thought occurred to Sakaki, This is so… nice. I feel so comfortable just sitting here with him like this. She glanced over at him again. But I guess I should probably say something. Maybe ask him about his family or something. She stole a second glance. He's probably bored to death just sitting here with me. She lowered her head a little closer to her bowl, bringing some noodles to her mouth, and keeping her head low even after accomplishing this task. He probably thinks I'm the most boring girl in all of Tokyo.
"You know Sakaki-chan."
She straightened up and looked over at him.
He met her eyes with a smiled. "You're the first girl I've met who didn't feel the need to fill every moment with idle chatter."
Her eyes widened, "Oh?"
"Just sitting here like this, with you, I feel, so…"
"Sooo?" She unconsciously leaned closer to him.
"It feels so… comfortable." He grinned.
"Really?" She smiled.
"Really, really." His grin widened.
Sakaki felt suddenly relieved. Glad I didn't start babbling about nothing. But her joy was short lived when she noticed Ashitaka's smile fade away and a deep pensive expression took its place. "What's wrong?"
The boy hesitated for a moment then answered, "I was just thinking… well, I'm having a good time here with you, but…"
"But what?"
"Well… you must be bored out of your mind." He lowered his head slightly, casting his eyes aside. "You must think I'm the world's most boring date."
"No!" She reached out and placed her hand on his arm. Ashitaka looked up and their eyes locked for an all too brief moment. His eyes drifted down to her hand upon his arm. Her gaze followed his and when she saw her hand clasping his, she gasped and instantly withdrew it. "Sorry." She blushed.
"Please, unless you found it unpleasant, don't apologize." He cracked a faint smile.
She offered a hint of a smile as well. "To be honest, I was just thinking how comfortable I felt sitting here with you, and I was worried you thought I was boring."
Ashitaka laughed silently, then reached for his bottle of soda, and held it up. "Well, here's to the most boring couple in Tokyo."
Sakaki grabbed her bottle and tapped it to his. "Yes, here's to us."
"Are you kids ready for seconds?" the shop owner asked. "It's free on Mondays."
Turning back to Sakaki, he asked with a smile, "Ready for more?"
"Sure."
(000)
Few words were exchanged between them as they ate or on their way home but neither complained. Eventually, Ashitaka broke the silence. "You know, I hope I didn't give you the wrong impression."
Sakaki gave him a questioning gaze.
"When I said I liked the fact that you didn't feel the need to talk. I hope I didn't give you the idea that I didn't want us to talk at all."
The girl cracked a small grin. "No, you didn't give me that impression. If I have something I want to say, I'll say it."
He smiled at her then turned his attention back to the road ahead.
After a few minutes, Sakaki finally spoke. "I am a little surprised you didn't get the udon bowl with tuna." She laughed softly.
"God No! I hate tuna." He placed his hand over his stomach, feeling a bit nauseous just thinking about it.
"Really? I thought you liked tuna?" her amusement being replaced by shock.
"What gave you that idea?"
"Well, on the first day of school… you ate a tuna sandwich. I just thought you must like it."
The boy laughed silently. "No, the only reason I bought it was because it was the last sandwich left in the cafeteria."
"Oh." A troubled expression crossed Sakaki's face as she recalled the conversation during home economics, before the flying softball ended class.
(000)
"Ashitaka-kun always buys his lunch, doesn't he? I think maybe I'll make him something for lunch tomorrow."
"That's a good idea Chiyo-chan. I think I'll make him something too," Yomi replied.
"Say, you two trying to make a move on Ashitaka-kun behind our backs?" Tomo chimed. "Well, I won't let you win without a fight. I'll make him something too."
"Win what?" Yomi glared. "And he'll need an ambulance to rush him to the hospital if he eats anything you make him, Tomo. Besides, we're not making any moves. Chiyo-chan and I are just…"
"Concerned about the health and well-been of a friend, that's all." Chiyo completed Yomi's sentence.
"Yeah, that's it." Yomi smiled.
"Well, if that's the case, we should all make a little something for him. Don't you think?" Kagura set her casserole down on the table where the other three were and peeled away the burnt top. The three stared at the casserole in horror.
"That's a great idea!" Chiyo smiled.
"Yeah, great," Yomi moaned under her breath.
"Don't you think it's a great idea, Sakaki-san?" Chiyo asked.
Though she was working at the table next to them, Sakaki had been following the conversation and blushed a bit for having been caught ease dropping. "Yeah… sure."
"Whatcha all talk'n about?" Osaka, who had been working next to Sakaki, asked.
"We're planning a marriage feast for Ashitaka-kun." Tomo blurted out.
"WHAT?" They all yelled.
"Quiet down over there!" the teacher snapped.
"You know, like in olden times. The young beautiful women of the village would each make a dish, and would present it to the eligible bachelor who was looking for a bride. And whoever's dish he liked the most would become his bride."
"Really?" Osaka asked starry-eyed.
"Yeah!" Tomo exclaimed.
"Don't believe her Osaka-san. She just made that up." Yomi said firmly. "And nobody is marrying anybody. We're just talking about making lunch for Ashitaka-kun tomorrow because he's always buying sandwiches here at school."
"That's right," Chiyo agreed. "We were saying we can each chip in and make him a little something."
"Sounds like a good idea," Osaka agreed. "But what's he like?"
"Oh."
"You wouldn' wanna make him some'n he ain't gonna like," Osaka concluded.
"Hmmm."
A deep silence hung over the table until Tomo asked, "What has he been eating recently?"
Again silence fell.
Finally, Kagura said, "Say, Sakaki-san didn't you say before that Ashitaka-kun liked tuna?"
Sakaki nodded.
"Right," Chiyo smiled. "This way he's guaranteed to like it."
They all nodded in agreement.
"Well, at least everything that is edible." Yomi stared at Tomo.
"Why are you staring at me?" Tomo screeched defensively.
(000)
"Sakaki-chan?" Ashitaka stood in front of her waving his hand in front of her face. "Sakaki-chan? Are you all right?"
Blinking her eyes as if awakening from a trance, she looked at him then looked around for a moment. Turning back to the boy, she asked, "What happened?"
"I'm not sure. We were walking and all of a sudden, you stopped. Your eyes sort of glazed over like you were hypnotized or something. To tell you the truth, it was a little frightening. Are you okay?" He reached out but hesitated, letting his hand fall to his side.
"Mmm hmm, I'm fine." She turned her head slightly to avoid direct eye contact. "Sorry for worrying you."
Ashitaka smiled. "That's okay. I'mmm just glad you're all right."
They continued walking but before long the boy asked, "I'm curious though, what were you think about that got you so distracted?"
Sakaki blushed a bit, turning her head to avoid his gaze. "I-It was nothing… really."
He shrugged and they continued down the street.
After a few moments, she asked, "So you reeeally don't like tuna… not at all?"
"Not really. In fact, I'm surprised I was able to hold down that sandwich on the first day of school." He laughed mildly.
"Are you allergic to tuna?"
"Well… that's what I usually tell people so I can get out of eating it, but in reality, no. I just…" He looked over and studied the girl's expression for a moment. "Why the sudden interest in whether or not I like tuna?"
"Huh?" Sakaki gulped. "I… I just thought it was kind of strange, that's all."
"Really? Is it so strange, not to like tuna?"
She looked down the road ahead of them. "To be honest, I've never met anyone who didn't like tuna. Hating tuna, it's almost… anti-Japanese."
The boy's eyes went large. "Really?"
She looked sideways at him and struggled unsuccessfully to keep from smiling. "Absolutely."
"Well," He stuffed his hands into his pockets and slouched while side stepping closer to her. "You better not be seen around me anymore. Who knows what being seen with a subversive like me could do to your reputation?"
Sakaki held her hand up to her mouth and giggled.
Hearing the soft laughter coming from the normally stoic girl caused Ashitaka to straighten up suddenly and stare at her with astonishment.
Realizing he had stopped walking, Sakaki turned to look at him. "What?"
He shook his head. "I do believe that's the first time I've ever seen you laugh."
The girl blushed, looking from side to side to avoid making eye contact. "No, it isn't.." she turned and started walking again.
With a few quick steps, Ashitaka was along side of her again. Thinking for a moment of all the times he had been with or around her, he concluded, "I'm certain of it. I've never seen you laugh until today, just now."
"Well, maybe you just never noticed before?" She quickened her pace, but the boy kept up without any effort.
"Hmmm, I'm pretty sure I would have noticed a laugh as cute as yours."
Sakaki came to a dead halt. "Stop it," she whispered.
"Stop what?"
"Stop saying I'm cute," she said in a soft but stern voice. "I'm not cute. I've never been cute, not even when I was little, not even when I was a baby. I've always been big and awkward. When I was born I weighed 4.7 kilograms and was over 58 centimeters long. Most people mistook me for a boy until I started…" She glanced down at her breasts and blushed. "Even though my hair was already long." She turned away from the boy. "I guess people have different opinions about me. They see me in different ways. But in all 17 years of my life, no one has ever mistaken me for cute. Chiyo-chan is cute. Osaka-san is cute. Even Yomi-chan, with her oversized glasses, is cute. I'm not cute. So please stop saying I am, alright?"
Having said her piece, Sakaki broke into a run, but before she knew it, she felt a hand on her wrist, forcing her to stop. "What?" She snapped while keeping her head down to avoid meeting his gaze.
He stood before her breathing deeply for several long moments before he spoke, "Sakaki-chan, you've run right past your house."
She looked up to see he was right; she had run two houses past her own. "Oh."
Slipping his hand under her chin, he gently pushed up to lift her head and forced her to make eye contact with him. "Sakaki-chan, I know we haven't known each other very long, so maybe you don't trust me. I can understand that. The school year has only begun, and you have almost a year."
"A year for what?"
"A year to learn, that I say what I mean and I mean what I say. When I say you have a cute smile and an even cuter laugh, I don't say it because I'm trying to flatter you or impress you. I say it because I believe it. You're right when you say that Chiyo-chan, Osaka-chan, and Yomi-chan are cute. Heck, even Tomo-chan and Kagura-chan can be cute at times. But there is no absolute measure of what is and isn't cute. And just because you're tall and physically mature doesn't mean you can't be cute as well. I'm not trying to embarrass you. I'm just telling you what I believe is true. You have a cute smile and an even cuter laugh. And I wish I will get to see more of both."
Without realizing it Ashitaka had inched closer and closer to Sakaki as he spoke until they stood face to face, their noses almost touching each other. Suddenly he became acutely aware of Sakaki's gentle breath bathing his lips. A thought crossed his mind but he quickly dismissed it and gradually backed up, allowing his hand to drop away.
They stood staring at each other - for how long, neither knew - until finally a car passed and backfired just as it drove by. They both turned to look at the passing vehicle for a moment then looked back at each other.
"Thank you for the noodles," Sakaki said softly.
"Thank you for the tie." He glanced down at the narrow rectangular box tucked under his arm.
"I guess I'll see you in school tomorrow?" She bowed slightly and walked back towards her home.
"Yeah, tomorrow." The boy started to walk down the street to the apartment complex that was currently his home but stopped abruptly and turned. "Sakaki-chan, may I walk with you to school tomorrow, if you don't mind?"
Sakaki turned and stared at him for a moment, then graced him with a faint smile and nodded. "I'd like that."
A happy grin crossed Ashitaka's face and he bowed low. "Till tomorrow morning, Sakaki-chan." Then he turned and went on his way.
(000)
Upon entering her house, Sakaki went straight to the kitchen where her mother was preparing dinner. She apologized for coming home so late and informed her mother that she had eaten already so she wouldn't be joining them for dinner. Her mother was none too happy and didn't hesitate to let Sakaki know this. After receiving a not so healthy dose of guilt from her mother, she apologized a second time. Going into her room, she locked the door and lay down on her bed, feeling both confused and guilty.
After a little while memories of events that occurred earlier that day crossed her mind.
"You must think I'm the world's most boring date."
"Well, here's to the most boring couple in Tokyo."
"Date? Couple?" She rolled over and started up at the ceiling. "Was this really my first date? Are we a couple now?" She reached over and grabbed her stuffed kitten, held it tightly in her arms, and sighed. "I wonder if he likes me?" Rolling onto her side, Sakaki closed her eyes and successfully replaced the feelings of guilt her mother conjured up within her with feelings of contentment that she felt when she was with Ashitaka.
"Oh my gosh!" She sprang out of bed. "I've got to let everyone know he hates tuna." She darted out of her room and down the hall to the phone.
(To Be Continued)
AN: Well, I hope you liked it. Sorry for any and all errors there may be in it. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get in contact with my Beta-reader for over a month now and to be honest, I've very worried. I consider her one of my dearest friends and being out of touch with her for so long is driving me nuts. On top of that, I had to edit the chapter myself, and I don't come close her when it comes to editing.
Hope things are starting to get interesting enough for you. Stuff is about to get a whole lot more complicated in the next chapter as a girl other than Sakaki decides she likes Ashitaka enough to take the chance and ask him to be her boyfriend. What will Ashitaka do? Does he have feelings for this other girl as well? And what will be Sakaki's reaction? I hope to answer all of these questions in my next chapter, "Boyfriend…Girlfriend".
Please, if you enjoyed reading this chapter, take a moment to write a review. Nothing motivates me more than hearing from you. Your words of encouragement are the fuel that keeps my creative juices flowing.
A. Amishi